Carpet-tack



N. PETERS. FHOT0-UTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. Dv C;

TTFD STATES FATFN H. S. BTALGOTT, OF EAST BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO SAML. ETTER, OF BOSTON, MASSACPUSETTS.

CARPET-TACK DRIVER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 81,360, dated February 5, 1861.

To all whom fitma'y concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY S. VVALGTT, of East Boston, in the county of Suolk and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented a new and Improved Carpet-Tack Driver; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this speciiication, in which-- Figure l'is a side elevation of the improved tack driver representing the lever in two positions. Fig. 2 is a top view of the tack holding aws as seen by making a horizontal section in the planeof red line a, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section through the tack holding jaws and base piece.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the three figures.

This invention is an instrument to be used in tacking down carpets, for holding the carpet, grasping and directing the tack and for driving the tack by a simple lever motion, as will be hereinafter fully shown.

The nature of my invention consists, firstly, in the combination of a lever with a vertical spring rod, or hammer, arranged in a suitable frame having projecting from its base suitable claws or points for holding the edge of the carpet while the carpet is forced to its proper place for tacking down, as will be hereinafter described.

Secondly, it consists in combination with the lever and spring rod, or hammer, of a jointed spring toe on the lever, and a grooved collar on the spring rod, arranged, constructed and operating as hereinafter described, whereby the spring rod may be raised to a certain point and then released, and whereby the end of the lever will be allowed to pass under the grooved collar for elevating the spring rod at pleasure.

Thirdly, it consists in two pivoted spring jaws, in combination with the spring ham.- mer rod, for holding the tack, and for guiding the same to its proper place in the floor when struck by the hammer rod, as will be hereinafter fully explained.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A, A', A2, and A3, represent the frame of the, machine. A is the handle, A a curved bearing arm for the lever O and for the upper end of hammer rod B. A2 is the lower bearing arm for the lower end of hammer rod B, and A3 is a horizontal base piece for supporting the tack holding jaws a, a. This frame may be made of brass or malleable iron or of any material found best suited to the purpose. It should be made very light and strong, and as portable as possible. The portions A, and A3, are nearly horizontal when the machine is in a proper position to be used, and as the handle portion A, is elevated above the base portion A3, the leg o, is used to support the rear part of the machine.

Through the bearing boxes which are formed on the front ends of curved arms A, A2, passes the hammer rod B, and this rod is perpendicular to the door when the machine stands in a proper position. Rod B, works freely up and down through its bearings, and its lower end is made slightly tapering for the purpose hereinafter described. Itod B, is in length equal to the height of the arm A', from the bottom of base piece A3, and this hammer rod B, is acted upon by a coiled'spring c, the ends of which bear respectively against the arm A, and a fixed collar g, on the rod B. Collar g, is secured to rod B, at a point above the arm A2, and at such a point as will allow the lower end of this rod to touch the Hoor when the collar rests on the arm A2. The spring c, is a very strong one, and of sufiicient strength, or stiffness, to force the hammer rod B, down on the tack and drive the tack home with one blow. However, the tack may be struck twice, or as many times as it is necessary, but a spring of a proper strength can be used which will require only one operation. This hammer rod B, is acted upon by the lever C, which may have a spring under its long arm as represented in Fig. l of the drawings, to raise this arm after it has been depressed. Lever O, is pivoted at c, to the curved arm A, and on the front` end of the short arm is pivoted at j, a toe piece C', which is so connected to the lever C, that it cannot move below the position in which it is represented in Fig. 1, both in red and black lines, but this toe C, is allowed to move upward from this position, in the downward movement of lever O, when this toe piece C', passes the collar g. Above this toe piece C, is a spring rod it, which keeps the piece C, in the position represented in Fig. l, when it is not otherwise acted upon. The end of toe C, is curved so as to properly grasp the collar g. Collar g, has a groove around its edge and the upper edge of this groove projects beyond the lower edge. Thus it will be seen that in elevating the hammer rod B, the toe will catch under the upper projecting flange and thus hold the hammer until it is raised to its highest point.

Through the base piece A3, a hole j, is made, the center of which is in a line with the axis of hammer rod B. On this base piece A3, are pivoted two jaws a, a, through which a conical hole 7c is formed, as repre'- sented in Figs. 2, and 3, of the drawings. The center of this conical hole is also in a line with the axis of hammer rod B, and its largest opening is upward; its smallest opening is ust large enough to admit the stem of a tack. The jaws a, a, divide this hole centrally and these jaws are held together by springs p, j), which allow the jaws to open when the hammer rod B, descends, as represented in red lines Fig. 2 of the drawings. Then when the hammer rod is again raised 'springs p, p, close the aws as represented in- Fig.

Projecting from the bottom, and near the front end of base piece A3, are two claws or spikes s, s, which are used for grasping and holding the edge of the carpet to allow the' edge to be pushed up with the machine in a proper place to be tacked to the floor.

The manner of using my machine for driving tacks is as follows: The spikes 8, 8, are pushed into the edge of the carpet as represented in Fig. l, at a point where it is desired to stick a tack. -The carpet is then forced up as near to the baseboard at it is desired'by pushing the machine. A tack is now dropped between jaws a, a, as shown in straight, through the carpet into the floor when it is struck by the hammer rod; and when the hammer descends it opens theaws to allow the tack to descend. In operating the lever C, it is desirable that the hammer rod should not be released until a tack is put fairly into the conical hole in jaws a, a, in order to prevent the hammer from striking the fingers. The toe C', will catch under the collar g, at iirst, and remain under this collar until the hammer rod can be elevated nearly to its highest point. Now by further depressing the long arm of lever C, the toe will slip from under the collarg, and catch under the flange, or in the groove, in this collar, the slightest depression of lever C, will now let the hammer fly.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. The perpendicular spring hammer rod B, and lever C, in combination with the frame A, A, A2, A3, substantially as herein set forth.

2. In combination with the hammer rod B, and lever C, the jointed toe piece C, and grooved collar g, arranged and operating substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

3. The pivoted spring tacvk-holding'jaws a, a, in combination with hammer rod B, as herein described for receiving and properly holding the tack until it is struck by the hammer rod.

HENRY S. VALCOTT. lVitnesses SAMUEL ETTER, JOHN J. EATON. 

